Utah State soccer (6-4-5, 3-2-1 MW) heads out for its final two road matches of the season at San José State (3-5-5, 2-2-2 MW) on Thursday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m. (MT) and at Fresno State (1-10-3, 1-4-1 MW) on Sunday, Oct. 16, at 1 p.m. (MT).
 
at San José State | Watch Live | Live Stats
at Fresno State | Watch Live | Live Stats
 
FOLLOW ALONG
Both matches will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network and available at www.utahstateaggies.com/watch. Live stats will also be made available through utahstateaggies.com.
 
AGGIES VERSUS SPARTANS
This will be the 18th meeting all-time between Utah State and San José State with the Aggies leading the series, 10-4-3. USU won the most recent meeting, 1-0, in Logan last season. The Spartans, however, have won each of the past two matches in San José, 1-0 in 2019 and 2-1 (2OT) in 2017. Utah State's last road win in the series came via a 1-0 win in 2015.
 
AGGIES VERSUS BULLDOGS
This will be the 21st meeting all-time between Utah State and Fresno State. The Bulldogs lead the series, 9-7-4, and have won two of the past three meetings with both victories coming in Logan. USU has gone 2-0-1 in the past three matches in Fresno, winning in 2015 and 2017 while the two sides drew 1-1 in 2019.
 
POINTILLISM
Utah State has 20 different players that have logged at least one point this season. The Aggies have recorded 22 goals from 12 different players and 24 assists from 16 different players so far this season. Junior London Miller, currently leads the team with four goals while Kaylie Chambers, Sammie Murdock and Sara Taylor each have three scores on the season. Murdock and junior Alex Day lead the team with three assists each while Murdock and Chambers hold the team lead with nine total points each.
 
RELATIVELY SPEAKING
Utah State currently ranks first in the Mountain West in shots on goal per game (7.13), total shots on goal (107), total shots (218) and total assists (24) and are tied for first with 70 total points scored. The Aggies also rank second in average margin (+0.46) and goals allowed per game (1.07). Individually, senior Sammie Murdock and junior Alex Day are tied for the sixth in the conference with three assists apiece while senior Sara Taylor and junior London Miller are currently tied for fourth in the conference with 16 shots on goal each.
 
UNBEATEN STARTS
Utah State has started each of its last two years under head coach Manny Martins with an unbeaten streak. This season, the Aggies started on a five-game unbeaten streak, going 2-0-3. Last year, USU opened the year with a tie before putting together six-straight victories. In all, Utah State is 10-3-5 (.694) in non-conference action under Martins.
 
SHOOTERS SHOOT
Utah State has outshot its opponent in both shots on goal and total shots in seven consecutive matches, including every match of Mountain West play. The Aggies have won both stats in 10 of 15 matches this season and have been outshot in both categories only twice.
 
OUT OF THE GATES
Utah State has scored the opening goal in 10 matches so far on the year, the most among Mountain West teams this season, and has gone 6-1-3 in those games. Last year, Utah State captured 11 of its 13 victories last season when recording the first goal of the match. The Aggies were 11-1-0 in 2021 when putting the first lights on the board.
 
SHAKE IT UP
Utah State's match versus Wyoming marked the first time this season where the Aggies repeated a starting lineup. USU has used 14 different starting lineups this season with 22 players recording at least one start. Only four players have started every game this season (juniors Alex Day, Kelsey Kaufusi and Kylie Olsen and sophomore Addy Symonds).
 
BOOKENDERS
Utah State has scored five goals this season within the first 10 minutes of a match. On the other end of the spectrum, the Aggies have recorded seven goals this season in the final 17 minutes of play.
 
SEEING YELLOW
The Aggies were shown four yellow cards in its 2-1 win over UNLV, the most yellow cards given to Utah State in a single match since being shown four cards versus Cal State Fullerton in 2017. In its match versus Grand Canyon, head coach Manny Martins received his first yellow card as a member of a collegiate coaching staff.
 
WHOSE HOUSE?
The Aggies have averaged 791 fans at seven home matches this season, ranking second among Mountain West teams. USU has gone 4-1-2 at homethis season and has gone 13-3-2 at home under head coach Manny Martins.
 
CHASING RECORDS
Utah State senior keeper Diera Walton is in pursuit of several career records this season.
 
USU Career Minutes (GK)
2.         Ali Griffin                                 2005-08           5526
3.         Diera Walton                          2019-pres.      5390
4.         Megan Mills                            2001-04           5211
5.         Jeanne Woller                         2012-15           5098
 
USU Career Saves
1.         Megan Mills                            2001-04           273
2.         Diera Walton                          2019-pres.      254
3.         Michaela (Miller) Hawes         1997-2000       249
4.         Jeannie Woller                        2012-15           246
USU Career GAA
1.         Ashlyn Mulford                        2009-12           0.69
2.         Natalie Stoven                         2013-16           0.79
3.         Molli Merrill                              2008-11           0.90
4.         Diera Walton                          2019-pres.      0.95
 
USU Career Shutouts
1.         Ali Griffin                                 2005-08           22
2.         Molli Merrill                              2008-11           21
3.         Diera Walton                          2019-pres.      19
4.         Jeannie Woller                        2012-15           17
 
WEDDING BELLS
• A pair of Aggies were married during the offseason as senior defender/forward Kelsey Salvesen-Harmer tied the knot with her husband (Zachary) in May, while London Miller married her husband (Isaac Smith) in December of 2021.
 
• In all, Utah State has four married players on its roster: Sara Taylor (Jake), Kaufusi (Nathan), Miller (Isaac Smith) and Salvesen-Harmer (Zachary).
 
RETURNED MISSIONARIES
Utah State's roster includes three players that served 18-month missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nicole Hadlock (Ecuador), Salvesen-Harmer(Roseville, California) and Sid Barlow (Paraguay).
 
WHAT'S RETURNING
• Utah State returns nine players that appeared in each of the Aggies' 22 matches a season ago, including senior winger Sara Taylor, senior forward Sammie Murdock, senior forward Nicole Hadlock, Kaufusi, junior midfield/defender Alysia Butters, junior midfielder Alex Day, junior defender Kylie Olsen, sophomore defender Addy Symonds and senior goalkeeper Diera Walton.
 
• Taylor and Murdock are the top goal scorers returning for Utah State, as each logged six goals for the Aggies a season ago.
 
• Taylor is the top returner when it comes to points and assists, finishing second on the team in 2021 with 17 points and five assists.
 
BACK FOR MORE AWARDS
• Kaufusi was named third-team all-Pacific Region by the United Soccer Coaches, while also picking up Mountain West All-Tournament Team honors.
 
• Symonds was named one of the top-100 freshmen in the nation during the 2021 season by TopDrawerSoccer.com, as well as being named to the MW all-newcomer team.
 
• Walton was a second-team all-Mountain West selection in 2021.
 
MOUNTAIN WEST PICKS
Utah State was picked fifth in the preseason Mountain West coaches poll. Fresno State and San José State were picked to finish fourth and eighth, respectively.
 
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